That the Lord Has Made

I sat on the couch this evening, thinking about tomorrow's waiting tasks, when a sudden thought crossed my mind: some years from now, I may not remember any of what I do tomorrow. I may do nothing either memorable or noteworthy tomorrow. Probably I'll eat breakfast and drive to school and sit in class and do homework and...

Pull a couple of dates at random, and think with me. January 12, 1995 -- I can recall nothing of how I lived that day. June 6, 1999 -- I draw a complete blank. October 8, 2004 -- I have no idea. Did I have a test that day? Apart from checking a calendar, I don't even know if the 8th was on the weekend.

This tends to put a different perspective on tomorrow, but I don't know that it's a healthy one. Five years from now (maybe even five months from now) July 28, 2008 may be nothing more than a random date in my mind. But lest you think these nothing more than lousy thoughts meant to leave you depressed, let me share three truths which help to ground the soul.

1. Whether or not you remember tomorrow, God does, and He will call you to account for it. This is sobering, for we will have to give an account for every careless work we speak (see Matthew 12:36).

2. Whether or not you remember tomorrow, God does, and He will call you to account for it. At the same time, it is joyful news, for we may do things which we reckon almost nothing that please the Lord and an impact on others (see, for example, Matthew 10:42 and Matthew 25:40).

3. Sanctification includes countless small and easily forgotten choices. Maybe the Lord will open your eyes to something as you read the Bible that will have a lifelong impact. Maybe your diligence to pursue daily study of the Word will be blessed by God as He gives you a greater love for His Word. Maybe by God's grace you will flee a temptation you have struggled with, and win a small-yet-significant victory in the battle against indwelling sin. How many such moments are we actually later able to pinpoint? Few, yet be in faith. As one psalmist prayed for the Lord to incline his heart to the Word (Psalm 119:36), or another for the Lord to unite his heart to fear God's name (Psalm 86:11), I doubt that they ever found a day when they decided to check those prayers off and put a star on the calendar. Put another way, answers to such prayers rarely come with postmark dates.


This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Reverence

I have a friend I met in Spanish class over two years ago. We've kept up with each other over the following semesters, and have had many good philosophical and theological conversations: the nature of sin, the mercy of God... whether Jesus was divine, or merely a prophet. You see, my friend is a Muslim. I am a Christian.

We hadn't seen each other in over a year (he finished an accelerated undergraduate program in two years and moved on to medical school this past year), so I contacted him last month to inquire after how he was doing and whether he'd be interested in getting together. He was, so we did. After catching up for a little while, our conversation turned back to the Bible and to the Koran, to Jesus and to Mohammad. Four hours later, toward the end of our conversation, he told me that he would be willing to read the Bible if I gave him one, and that he would give me a Koran to read. We could give each other assigned readings and meet to talk them over every week.

We met again today, talked about divine inspiration, and exchanged gifts. Before we parted, my friend said that he'd be careful to wash his hands before reading the Bible, to not set the Bible on the ground, to not take the Bible into the bathroom--all of the things that Muslims consider to be proper in handling a holy book. "Is there anything else I need to know?" he asked.

I thanked him, and I told him that I would likewise be careful not to disrespect the gift he'd given me. "But the most important thing," I told him, "is your heart in going to read the book. Ask God to help you understand it."

No, the outward aspect of how we physically handle a book doesn't equate true reverence. But it does tend to reflect it. I would not spit on or throw the Bible, because it is the Word of God. But am I nonetheless careless with it? The pages are not so important, but for the words on the pages. The words on the pages are not so important, but for the One of Whom they speak. Do I approach it and handle it with proper reverence because yes, here in my hands I hold, and now read, the self-revelation of God? How do I handle the Bible with my hands? How do I approach the Bible with my heart?

I'd appreciate your prayers--for my friend and for myself. Lord willing, we will be having a number of conversations about what we read in the coming weeks. I'm excited and hopeful. All of my attempts at logical and convincing arguments cannot bring him to faith in Christ. Neither will his reading of Bible merely through human understanding. But he's reading. He's reading the Gospels, the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. God speaks through His Word.

[I wrote this post a couple weeks ago, but didn't quite have time to finish it and post it. It looks as though we're done with our weekly discussions, but your prayers are still very much appreciated.]

Topsail Island 2008

Last month our family spent a week at Topsail Island, NC with my dad's side of the family. Having 31 people share a house is bound to be interesting. Thankfully, it was a good interesting.

We learned a few valuable things:

--A game of pool volleyball, in the presence of poolside cacti, will be very short.

--Making up a bracket for a 16-person double-elimination billiards tournament is a science.

--If enough people go fishing all week long, it's easy to plan dinner the last evening.

Also, I'm no good at billiards. Winning the Cousins Air Hockey Tournament (also a field of 16) is some consolation. But being the "Family Air Hockey Champion" isn't quite as glamorous as being the "Family Billiards Champion."

Family tradition is to do a scavenger hunt throughout the vacation week. Our Uncle Mark changed things up on us this year, dividing the cousins into two groups for a "photo hunt." Here are a few highlights.

A cousin buried up to his head in the sand (we decided to get creative)

A human pyramid

A sand castle "at least three feet tall"

Team posing with a sunset (Atlas has nothing on us)

Other fun stuff

After lunch at Cracker Barrel

The college-aged cousins were responsible for preparing dinner on Monday evening

(Pictures courtesy of my sister DeAnna)

July's Quote to Ponder

"Never be content with your current grasp of the gospel."
--C.J. Mahaney, Living the Cross Centered Life